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Degree Holder FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions from Degree Holders

If you have questions not answered by this page or the links in the sidebar, call 512-232-2770 and set up an appointment with a UTeach advisor.

1. Is UTeach a daytime program? Are there any classes at night, online, or in the summer?

All UTeach courses are taught during the day. Four UTeach courses contain field work, which requires our students to be available during school hours. Of course, student teaching is comprised entirely of a field experience. In addition, our students interact with faculty members face-to-face in classroom and laboratory settings. No courses for our program are taught online. None of the UTeach courses are offered in the summer sessions. Students usually take required content courses in the summers.

3. What courses do I take for certification?

All UTeach students take the courses in our professional development sequence. Most students also take content courses (like biology, chemistry or mathematics)—though how much content varies. To get an idea of what you would need to take, check out the requirements on the Certifications page and see How Long Does Certification Take? You can take content courses work concurrently with the professional development sequence.

4. Do I have to earn another undergraduate degree?

No, you do not need to earn another undergraduate degree in either education or in the content area (e.g. math, chemistry, biology, etc.).

5. Is certification part of a masters program?

No, teacher certification in STEM fields is not an advanced degree. However, students seeking advanced degrees may also pursue teacher certification. The College of Education has a STEM Education Masters program, for example. All applications for advanced degrees go through the Graduate School.

6. What if I want to certify in an area outside of my undergraduate degree?

Texas Education Agency policy mandates a minimum of 15 hours in a STEM field in order to be admitted to an educator preparation program.

If you do not have at least 15 hours in the certification area, you are encouraged to take courses at UT Austin (if you've been admitted) or your local community college. Use the Automated Transfer Equivalency page to locate courses that correspond to those required for certification. Students intending to certify in math may need to (re)take calculus. If you haven't had calculus in over 3 years, it is strongly recommended that you take a calculus course either at UT Austin or your local community college.

Alternatively, you may take the Pre-Admission Content Test. Taking this test counts as 1 of 5 allowed attempts on the TExES content exam.

7. Is there a GPA requirement?

To be admitted to and certified through the UTeach program, students must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Content mastery is an important component of UTeach. It's always a good idea to make sure you have a solid foundation in your content area before taking upper-division courses.

8. What exams do I have to take and when do I take them?

You will have to take two exams: Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities and another test corresponding to your certification area such as 7-12 Mathematics or 7-12 Science. You will not be authorized to take the exams until you are admitted to Apprentice Teaching, i.e. the student teaching semester. This means you will have earned a grade of at least a C- in almost all of the required UTeach courses, will have completed most of the courses in your content specialty, and are prepared for both exams. In the Apprentice Teaching seminar (UTS170), you will receive guidance on how to study for the exams, as well as more information about supporting materials. In the meantime, you can learn more about the exams from the test preparation materials on TEA's website.

9. Will I be able to get a job?

The demand for math, science, and engineering teachers is still very high, not only in Texas, but across the U.S. UTeach has a strong placement record and high retention in the profession. It’s also a well-respected program nationwide—dozens of universities are starting UTeach programs across the country because our graduates are exceptional teachers. The UTeach program also supports students through the job search, with coaching on all aspects of the process, such as resume writing, best interview practices, etc. In addition, the UTeach program supports graduates through their first year of teaching with mentoring, professional development, and more.

10. Where can I get more information about the job market?

A: The UTeach Natural Sciences program has kept data on our alums from the very beginning. Currently, the UTeach Institute, which manages replication of the UTeach model, publishes statistics about all UTeach programs. In addition, all students in the Student Teaching seminar receive the current Job Search Handbook for Educators, compiled by the American Association for Employment in Education. This publication annually reports on the demand for educators in certain areas, with educators in the STEM fields consistently among the most sought after. In addition, the United States Department of Labor publishes their Occupational Outlook Handbook, with a section for high school teachers.